Samsung looks to topple Sonos with launch of $399.99 Shape M7 wireless speaker

You're looking at Samsung's idea of a Sonos killer. The company today introduced what it's calling the Samsung Shape M7 wireless speaker. Priced at $399.99 (matching the flagship Sonos Play:5), at its core the M7 resembles many other speakers that have flooded the market in recent years. It wirelessly streams music from your smartphone or tablet, and Samsung says components like a foam core woofer, CNT pulp cone mid-range speakers, and silk dome tweeters result in superb audio output. But it also capitalizes on the formula that Sonos built a brand on: Samsung's speaker can be chained with other M7s to keep music flowing (in sync) across your home or office. You'll control what plays where with the help of a mobile app. A $49.99 "Samsung Hub" is necessary if you want to take full advantage of the M7's multi-room capabilities. Again, Samsung is going toe-to-toe with its newfound competitor here, mirroring the price of Sonos' Bridge. Amazon, Pandora, and Rhapsody among early supporters Aside from your own library of songs, Samsung has also managed to round up some major content partners for launch. Out of the gate, Amazon Cloud Player, Pandora, Rhapsody, TuneIn Radio, and other services will all be optimized for ideal playback with the Shape M7. But with its significant head start and fleshed out product portfolio, Sonos already has the same partnerships in place, and then some — including Spotify, Rdio, and Songza. Still, Samsung has the powerful advantage of its recognizable and established brand. It's a heavyweight in the minds of consumers, whereas Sonos is still introducing itself to many potential customers. The two companies will begin duking it out when the Samsung Shape M7 hits retail on October 13th.